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Ford Tractors
History The beginning Henry Ford decided that his mass production techniques, could be applied to tractor building to meet the needs of feeding the population using small light tractors rather than the early big heavy designs derived from steam tractors. But the board of directors did not agree and so he set up his own operation under the Fordson brand. The Early Years Ford produced Tractors under the Fordson brand in America, Ireland and England. They produced the various versions of the Major and the F & N series of light weight designs using the Ferguson linkage system. 40s *Fordson Model F *Fordson Model N *Fordson E27N Major 50s *Fordson E1A Major *Fordson Dexta *Fordson Super Dexta 60s Ford stopped using the Fordson Name and switch to branding as FORD Tractors UK. Introducing new models and a revised Blue colour scheme. Production was started in new factory in 1964 on a 100 acre site at Basildon in Essex, to coincide with the introduction of the new 1000 range tractors. *Ford 2000 *Ford 3000 *Ford 4000 *Ford 5000 70s *Ford 7000 - 1971 - 83 hp from a turbo charged engine. *Ford TW Series *1976 saw the 700 range upgrade from the 600 range. *1977 brought the 4-wd versions of the 8700 & 9700, using German axles. The range had a gap from the 4 cylinder 7600/7700 of 96 hp to the 6-cylinder 8700 with 128 hp. They took a 6700 backend and fitted a industrial 2715E engine of 115 hp to it, but being an industrial engine they had to incorporate a frame as these engines are not of a stress (load bearing) design usually used in the tractor line. The machines were built by County as they were a low volume model. Launched in 1978 as the 8100, for the European market. The model was soon replaced due to poor balance by the 8200 another machine made from the parts bin. 80s *1980 the 8200 introduced based on a 7700 rear end and a 115 hp 401s engine and a Schindler front axle. *1982 the 8210 introduced built by Ford in house. This was restyled to match the 10 series, and fitted with ZF 4-wd system, and a baby brother version derated to 103 hp, the 7910. *the FW High HP range introduced, from Steiger till 1986. Then Case IH took them over and Ford bought Versatile of Canada in 1987 for the high Horesepower range. *The whole 1000 Range of tractors was updated with the Launch of the Series 10 versions in 1981. *1988 saw the 7810 introduced based on a 7600chasis and lightweight 401S engine, this was designed by SEM South Essex Morors of basildon who built specials like County for Ford. *Ford Took over New Holland from Sperry-New Holland in 1985. Followed by introducing the 30 series tractors in the TW range. These had powershift transmissions and electronic controls in 1989. *By 1990 Ford sold a major share of the tractor operation to Fiat of Italy, who finally bought the remaining share in 1994. The use of the ford name being dropped by agreement by 2000. The Mergers U.S. Fordson production ended in 1928. *In 1938, Ford introduced the Ford 9N tractor using the Ferguson three-point hitch system. *In 1942 Ford introduced the 2N model tractor. This was surprising because so much steel was being used to manufacture products for U.S. and allied troops during World War II. *In 1948 the very popular 8N tractor was introduced. More than 500,000 8Ns were sold between 1948 and 1952. The 8N was replaced with the 1953 "Golden Jubliee" tractor. *After 1964, all tractors made by the company worldwide carried the Ford name. *In 1986, Ford expanded its tractor business when it purchased the Sperry-New Holland skid-steer loader and hay baler, hay tools and implement company from Sperry Corporation and formed Ford-New Holland which bought out Versatile tractors in 1988. *In 1991 Ford sold its tractor division to FIAT with the agreement that they must stop using the Ford name by 2000. *In 1998 FIAT removed all Ford identification from their blue tractors and renamed them "New Holland" tractors. Current Day The Ford Brand is no longer in use as the sale to CNH withdrew the right to the ford name to be used after ? years, so by 20xx the Ford Tractor line was rebranded as New Holland (still in a Blue colour scheme. Ford Engines Early Ford tractors had there own petrol and TVO engines fitted, but when the market started switching to Diesel engines in the UK ford fitted some models with Perkins engines. But when they opened the Basildon factory they had capacity to build there own and the new 1000 series was built with fords own engines. They also sold a lot of Skid units to other OEM manufactures in most cases fitted with a Ford engine. Due to design commonality some manufactures fitted other models or industrial version to suit there application. Ford also had firms like County build low volume models to fill caps in the line up and meet certain markets needs. Models (Put detailed info on each Range/model on its own page please) UK Models *Fordson Model F 1917-28 *Fordson N series **Ford-Ferguson **Fordson Model 9N 1939-47 Orange then Green (Detroit built) **Fordson Model 8N 1949-57 White & red (revised after Ford lost patent case to H.Ferguson) **Fordson Model 2N (cheap 8N)` **Fordson Model N (1929 built in Cork) (1933>Dagenham) (Standard Fordson) *Fordson E27N Major * Fordson E1A Major (Power Major) * Fordson Super Major *Ford Perkins Engined versions *Fordson Dexta series - 1957-64 ** Fordson Dexta ** Fordson Super Dexta ** Roadless 4x4 Dexta - 4wd conversions *Ford 2000 1964 *Ford 3000 1964 *Ford 4000 1964 **Ford 4110 50 hp **Ford 4600 **Ford 4630 *Ford 5000 *Ford 6000 **Ford 6600 **Ford 6610 **Ford 6700 *Ford 7000 **Ford 7600 **Ford 7610 **Ford 7640 **Ford 7700 **Ford 7710 **Ford 7740 **Ford 7840Sl **Ford 7910 - 1988 *Ford 8000 Series **Ford 8000 - **Ford 8200 - 1980 **Ford 8210 - 1982 **Ford 8210 - MkIII **Ford 8600 **Ford 8700 1977 4-wd version to replace 8600 **Ford 8830 - 1989 4-wd 6-cylinder 195 hp (replaced TW30) Funk powershift transmission & ZF axle. *Ford 9000 Series **Ford 9600 - Imported American models **Ford 9700 1977 4-wd version to replace 9600 *Ford TW Range **Ford TW 10 **Ford TW 15 **Ford TW 20 **Ford TW 25 **Ford TW 30 - 1979 188 hp (intercooled) **Ford TW 35 - 1983 195 hp *Ford FW Range Steiger tractors painted blue **Ford FW-30 **Ford FW-60 American Models *Workmaster **Ford 501 Workmaster **Ford 601 workmaster *Powermaster **Ford 861 Powermaster **Ford 961 Powermaster *Ford FW Range Steiger tractors painted blue **FW-20 USA only model not imported into UK **FW-30 **FW-60 Specials 3rd parties made a whole range of models based on Ford tractors or factory supplied Skid units over the years. The principle firms being:- *Bray- loading shovels based on Ford units & articulated unit base on Ford 5000 axles *County - 4-wd tractors & crawlers, some 2 wd specials. *Doe - Articulated tractors made from 2 tractors joined by a pivot *EVA of Belgium, built customised 4-wd models for niche markets. *Jewel tractor - Rebuilt Ford 5000 selectamatic with 6-cylinder engine. *JJ Thomas - 6-cylinder conversion of Ford 5000 units. *KFD - Kent Ford Dealers - Orchard special conversions *Landini - (mini tractors) *Matbro - Tractors & Loading Shovels *Millard - (Crawlers) *Northrop/Chaseside - High hp model based on ford skid unit. *Roadless - 4wd tractor & crawler conversions Other UK Brands *David Brown *Leyland & Nuffield *International *Massey-Ferguson *Ferguson-Brown *Ford-Ferguson Prototypes R&D UK preservation tractors Ford collections *Ford and Fordson Association club for Ford tractor collectors. See Also *CNH *Ferguson *Ferguson-Brown *Fiat *Fordson *New Holland *Steiger *Versatile Reference *Classic Tractor Magazine *Tractor & Machinery Magazine Links * Ford and Fordson Association for collectors of Blue tractors Web site Category:Brands Category:Companies of the United Kingdom Category:Companies of the United States Category:Construction plant manufacturers Category:Defunct companies Category:Excavators Category:Ford Category:Backhoe Loaders Category:Crawler Tractors Category:Industrial Tractors Category:Skid Steer Loaders Category:Tractor manufacturers Category:Tractor Category:Ford